Star Wars Episode IX: The Last Hope
by ArtemisRose727
Summary: *FULL SUMMARY INSIDE* This is my version of Episode IX. Very sweet fix it fic! Key Points: Reylo, Ben Solo lives, The Knights of Ren are prominent, no Palpatine, Original Plot, focus on family and love (what Star Wars is all about to me), Han and Leia had a second child, Ben is an amazing older brother. I'm really excited about this one. Please give it a chance! M rating later
1. Prologue: Pawns in a Game

**Summary:**

**The Resistance is in shambles.**

**Kylo Ren is now the Supreme Leader of the First Order and is working to spread its dominion across the entire galaxy by any means necessary.**

**Seventeen year old Anya Solo hasn't seen her brother in a decade. When she hears about the dire state of things, the young princess takes it upon herself to find the Supreme Leader and confront him, intent only on bringing her brother home.**

**While all of her friends worry about rebuilding the Resistance from the ashes of Crait, Rey has only been able to think of one thing, or rather, one person: Ben Solo. She yearns for him more than anything in her whole life and when Anya arrives, Rey sees an ally who also believes that he can be saved.**

**Together, Anya and Rey devise a plan to get him back once and for all. But even if they succeed, things are always more complicated than they seem. Inevitably, they find themselves fighting against a number of unforeseeable enemies whose very existence threatens them all and the future of the galaxy…**

**A/N:**

**Hello all!**

**This is a reimagining of episode IX, of how I think it should have gone. There will be no Palpatine, plenty of the KOR, and most importantly, Ben Solo lives! ****❤️**

**I've been working on this for a while now, long before TROS came out and in the painful aftermath of the film I think it's time to share with my fellow Reylo's and Ben Solo lovers.**

**I'm so excited to share this story with everyone and hope that people enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed creating it! I would appreciate any comments! Please give me feedback and let me know how you like it!**

**Much love,**

**ArtemisRose727**

**P.S. Credit to some of the writing in the chapter goes to Robin Goodly, who is no longer writing this with me but still deserves credit none the less.**

_Prologue _

_18 ABY, Chandrila _

_Ben Solo knew that this night was going to change his life forever. Even at the young age of thirteen he knew how much a new baby could alter everything. After all, his whole family had been preparing for months and Ben was no exception. Once his mother had begun to show it had finally resonated with him completely that he was going to be a big brother. And now, after months of waiting and of being equally excited and terrified at the prospect, Ben was going to find out if he had a new baby brother or baby sister. _

_ He really didn't have a preference as to which, just so long as both the baby and his mother were okay in the end. _

_ It was torture, having to sit in his room and pretend to be asleep while he knew very well what was happening down the hall. Despite what his parents thought, he had heard the hushed whispers between his father and the midwife who had arrived several hours prior. Ben turned to glance at his clock. _

_ 3:12 in the morning. He sighed and went back to watching the shadows dance on the walls, created by the light streaming in from under his door and the various objects in his room. Ben wanted to be with his mother so badly, but he was afraid of getting in the way. He always felt like he was in the way…out of place. Even with his parents. _

_ Several more minutes passed and then suddenly there was a guttural scream of agony. Ben sat up in his bed with wide eyes. Unable to sit there any longer, he gave in and quietly slipped from his room. Careful not to make a sound, Ben crept down the dimly lighted hall towards his parent's room. The door was slightly ajar and bright light was shining through it, beckoning him. Afraid to be seen, Ben stayed in the shadows when he peered inside. _

_ His mother was lying in a bed with her legs spread and feet planted flat on the mattress. She was sitting up with one hand on her swollen belly and the other tightly gripping his father's hand. Her face was scrunched up in pain and she was taking short, heaving breaths as if the pain was so bad she couldn't draw air into her lungs. His father was whispering something to her that Ben couldn't make out, but she nodded furiously before letting out another scream. The midwife appeared in his view then, going around to sit between his mother's leg. She appeared to check something and then looked up to his parents. _

_ "Nine centimeters dilated. You're doing wonderfully, Leia. Only one more and then you can start pushing."_

_ "Han." His mother gasped out. "Check-" She broke off and seemed to bear down, her whole body clenching. When it passed she continued, "check on Ben. I don't want to wake him." _

_ "He's fine, Leia." His father assured her, taking his free hand and smoothing back the hair from her forehead. "I'm not leaving you."_

_ Ben let out a breath of relief. He wasn't looking forward to having to run back down the hall to his room if his father had agreed to go check on him. _

_ A furry hand came down on his shoulder. Ben barely stopped himself from yelping. He spun around to come face to face with Chewbacca. _

_ "Chewy," he breathed, relieved. "You startled me." _

_ The Wookie gave an apologetic grunt. _

_ "It's alright." Ben assured him, patting his hairy arm. Chewy let out another series of quiet grunts and growls. _

_ "Yes, I should be in bed," Ben answered. "But I couldn't sleep knowing what was going on. Please don't tell on me." _

_ Chewbacca heaved a great sigh of defeat and shrugged his big shoulders. Ben smiled and threw his arms around the Wookie. "Thanks, Chewy. You're the best." A grunt somewhere along the lines of _yes, I am. Why do you seem so surprised?_ was the only reply he received as the Wookie patted his back affectionately. Ben had to hold back a smirk. Chewbacca was many things, but humble was not one of them. _

_ From inside, his mother cried out again. _

_ "Alright, Leia, you can do this. Push!" The midwife instructed firmly. _

_ His mother clenched and let out another scream. Ben couldn't see anything more than that, but he heard the midwife continue to urge her on with encouraging words as she sat at the foot of the bed. "That's it, Leia. Push! Push harder! I see the head."_

_ "You're doing great, sweetheart," he heard his father say. "Almost there." _

_ The screams were almost constant now and Ben couldn't help but be thankful he had been born male. Childbirth sounded agonizing and he silently thought that he must remember to apologize to his mother for putting her through it when she had borne him. _

_ Next to him, Chewy moaned anxiously. Ben reached out and took his hand and gently squeezed. "They'll be okay," he tried to reassure the troubled Wookie. "They have to be."_

_ "Alright Leia, the baby is almost out. I need you to give me one more hard push." The midwife was saying. _

_ There was one final scream of immense effort and then it was over. Ben watched his mother slump down with an exhausted huff and the midwife removed something from the base of the bed. He strained to see, knowing full well it was the baby, but couldn't. The glimpse he caught only showed that it was covered in blood and some thick white globs. _

Ew,_ he thought_. Babies were gross_. _

_ All thoughts of disgust at the baby's outward appearance evaporated a moment later when Ben watched the midwife frown and turn away from his parents, taking the baby with her. Something was wrong. He could feel it. His chest was tight and he felt like he couldn't breathe. _

_ Why wasn't the baby crying? Ben knew enough to know that babies were supposed to cry right after they were born and took their first breath. _

_ Unless…a horrible thought occurred to Ben and fear seized him. The baby wasn't breathing. _

_ "What is it?" He heard his mother ask, concerned. "Belinda, what's wrong?"_

_ "It's just..." Belinda sounded. "The cord…"_

No, _Ben thought to himself. _They couldn't lose this baby. _Panicked, he reached out on instinct, completely unsure of what he was doing, merely wishing he could do something to make the baby breathe. He knew at that moment that he would have given anything for his new sibling to be okay. _

_ "What the hell is going on?" Han demanded. "Is something wrong with our baby?" _

Breathe. _Ben gasped as something he couldn't identify seemed to break like a wave against a beach. Suddenly he was able to take a full breath again and his chest no longer felt like a Rathtar was sitting on it. _

_ A shrill baby's cry broke the hushed silence that had descended on the room. Ben sucked in another breath and his eyes widened. _

_ There she or he was. They were alive. _

_ It was quite possibly one of the most wonderful sounds he had ever heard. _

_ "Congratulations," the midwife said, coming back into his view and handing the small bundle to his mother. "You have a beautiful baby girl." _

_ Ben caught his breath. _A girl_. He had a sister. His mother and father's smiles could have lit up the darkest reaches of the galaxy as they gazed down at their daughter. Ben felt his own lips curve up into a smile. _

_Then his mother frowned and looked directly at him and he stiffened. She must have sensed he was there. "You can come in now." She said._

_ "What?" His father looked up, clearly confused. _

_ His mom rolled her eyes. "Ben, come in, honey." _

_ Ben tentatively pushed the door open and shuffled into the room with his head hung guiltily and his hands clasped in front of him. "Sorry." He mumbled. _

_ His mother smiled at him. "Don't be sorry, sweetheart. Come here," she reached out a hand and waved him forward. "We want you to meet someone." _

_ Slowly, Ben made his way over to his parents. When he reached them, his father placed a hand on his shoulder and guided him to the side of the bed where his mother was shifting the little bundle so he could see. _

_ And then, Ben Solo gazed upon his sister for the first time._

_ "This is your new baby sister. Anya." His mother told him. Ben couldn't stop staring at her face. She was so tiny. It was hard to believe anyone could be that tiny. She had the roundest little cheeks with the cutest mouth and button nose. And even though she was just born, her head was covered with thick black hair. Like his own. _

Sister_. The word kept repeating over and over in his mind. _

_ "Can I- " he started. "Can I hold her?" _

_ His parents exchanged a glance and then looked back at him with smiles on both of their faces. With a nod, his mother moved to transfer Anya into his arms. _

_ "Watch her head." She instructed. _

_ Ben nodded and was careful to brace her head in the crook of his elbow. She was light and surprisingly easy to hold, he noted with a bit of surprise. _

_ "Hi Anya," he whispered as he gazed down at her face and into her eyes, which were also dark like his. Her little lips were pink and shaped like a bow, parting as she let out a small coo. "I'm Ben. Your big brother." _

_ "Now, don't be too disappointed if she doesn't respond." His father joked with a broad smile. His mother laughed, but Ben was completely mesmerized by the little bundle in his arms. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, cradling her close to his body. She was so warm and soft. Ben smiled when he felt her little hand brush his face as she squirmed a bit. _

_ "How precious." He heard his mother say. "And we were worried he might not take well to the new baby initially." _

_ His father grunted in acknowledgement. It was then that Chewy decided to make his entrance, coming to stand beside Han who smiled at his best friend, clapping him on the back. _

_ "Chewy," Leia greeted the Wookie, taking his furry hand in her own and squeezing. Chewbacca grunted softly in response, being careful not to wake Anya. _

_ "Alright, it's time for Anya to nurse." Started Leia. "And it's time for you to go back to bed." She added, looking pointedly at Ben and reaching to take his sister from him. _

_ Ben frowned and held on to her. He didn't want to let her go. "Do I have to go back to bed? It's practically morning anyway."_

_ "Ben." His father said sternly. "Listen to your mother."_

_ "Fine." Ben muttered and gently deposited his sister back into his mother's arms. He bent to give her one more kiss on her cheek. "I'll see you in a few hours, Anya." _

_ Then he leaned over to give his mother a kiss. "Goodnight, mom." _

"_Goodnight, love." She replied. _

_ With that, Ben made his way to the door, turning only once to look back at Anya before he left, closing the door behind him. Back in his own room, Ben lay in his bed feeling a strange sense of peace coming over him. It had started the moment he held Anya in his arms for the first time. He had been so nervous about having a sibling but the moment he saw her, Ben knew all his worries had been foolish. _

_ Anya was absolutely precious and he loved her so much already. Such a feeling of protectiveness flooded him then and Ben knew that he would do anything to keep her safe and ensure she never felt lonely or out of place like he had for much of his life. _

I swear to you, Anya_, he thought. _So long as I live you will know nothing but love and affection and I will never let anything happen to you_. Ben knew she couldn't hear him and that even if she could she wouldn't understand, but his heart was telling him to make the vow anyway. _

_ "I promise." He whispered into the darkness, before sleep claimed him. _

34 ABY, Planet Kymar, Temple of Pax

The Temple of Pax was so old it had no proper landing pads for air ships. The transport touched down in an empty field at the base of the mountain and powered down. The back hatch descended, and a man strode out of the belly of the ship and onto the harsh, rocky ground, flanked by four Stormtroopers. The group was instantly buffeted by a bitter wind, which swept across the barren landscape with a mournful, keening note.

General Armitage Hux wore his customary sour expression, as if something foul smelling lingered beneath his nose. He craned his head back, taking in the sight of the jagged mountain before him, the peaked towers of the Temple of Pax at the top. The shrine was made of dark stone, the same as the mountain from which it had seemingly been carved. Set against the backdrop of pale sky, it was a grim sight.

Hux's mouth thinned. He was not in a good mood. It was about to be made worse by the lone figure that had emerged from the mouth of the temple and was now making its way towards him.

Tall, broad, and dressed in black robes with the hood thrown back, the man walked with a swagger that instantly irked Hux. He had a haughty, handsome face, richly tanned and marred somewhat by his crooked nose. His dark eyes were upturned and nearly black, as was his hair, which had been cut brutally short. At the man's side was a loop of black cord with two metal balls attached to one end.

The man halted before the party. His gaze passed over the general, his guards, ship, and then back to Hux. His face split in a cat-like grin.

Hux clenched his jaw.

"Welcome, _general_," said the young man. "Did you have a safe flight?"

"Where is he?" Hux replied curtly, interrupting the robed man's mocking inquiries.

The other man's grin only widened. "Our _Supreme Leader_ is expecting you." And with a swirl of robes, he turned and began walking back towards the temple.

Hux motioned for two of the Stormtroopers to stay with the ship before following. As they rounded an outcropping of rocks a set of worn stone steps was revealed, climbing steadily up the edge of the mountain.

Hux caught up to the robed man. "The Knights of Ren have not been idle, I trust, in bringing our glorious new empire to greater heights."

The young man glanced sideways at Hux, smirking faintly. "Oh, we've been having _fun_. The Rebels have lots of little hideaways for us to…sniff out."

"I am surprised that they have any left," Hux said.

"Indeed. I honestly expected that you would have found them all by now, but I guess even generals make mistakes."

"Watch your tone, Tyran. I still outrank you."

Tyran gave no indication that the threat had touched any cord within him. "This is _our_ temple, general. Inside is _our_ leader. Your rank means nothing to any of the Knights of Ren." He shot a look at the Stormtroopers clattering up the steps behind them. "And neither do your plastic guards."

All talk was rendered impossible at that point as the wall of rock, which had previously been shielding them, came to an end and the ferocious Kymaran wind slammed into them; it would have taken Hux's breath away, had he not already been winded.

Presently, the steps came to an end and the main doors of the Temple of Pax spread huge before them. They were enormous things, made of a kind of wood so thick and ancient that it had become as hard as stone. Carvings decorated the surface, images of the gods and the servants who used to dwell in the Temple of Pax long before it was repurposed by the Knights of Ren; the images were too worn to properly make out now.

The gates stood ajar, and the four men entered the main courtyard. The flagstones beneath their feet were cracked with age and broken by shriveled weeds. A creeping plant had grown thickly upon the walls, the color of its leaves a vivid green which shone faintly.

Tyran led the way through another, slightly smaller wooden door into an entry hall, then through a third door.

Originally, it had probably been the main worship space, but now its religious icons were pushed against the walls and scarlet banners hung from the balcony and the narrow slotted windows at the back of the architrave. In the architrave, an ordinary wooden chair made into a seat of power by the man currently occupying it.

A man wearing black pants and tunic, with a mask made up of cruel silver lines. Flanking him were two men, also robed and masked: one wearing a hood and ghoulish mask, his hand gripping a tall metal staff, the other a broad individual, stocky but clearly powerfully built, who leaned upon a thick-bladed sword.

General Hux halted before Kylo Ren and clasped his hands behind his back.

"Supreme Leader," Hux said stiffly.

Kylo Ren did not lift his head. His attention was focused upon his lap, where his gloved hands were folded.

"Sir, the other generals have arrived and are awaiting you upon our flagship. They wish to know your orders concerning what remains of the Resistance."

A soft click preceded Kylo's first words as the voice box in his mask engaged. "_Our _flagship?"

Hux didn't even bat an eye. "Our, meaning the First Order, sir."

"My orders as they stand are to hunt down and kill every last member of the Resistance. They have not changed from when I first issued them."

"I understand that, Supreme Leader, but the generals are anxious to meet with you. The change in leadership has…shaken them. They seek reassurance that you will be everything and more than Snoke."

At last, Kylo brought his head up. "I am more," he said simply. "And you may tell the generals that I will gladly demonstrate just how much more I am, should they forget it and dare question my power and authority again."

Behind Hux, Tyran grinned.

Hux paled. "Yes, Supreme Leader," he said.

"Leave me," Kylo said curtly. "I have other matters to attend to."

Once Hux had left, Kylo returned his attention to his lap. He held in his hands his lightsaber. It had not worked properly since that last fight in Snoke's throne room nearly three weeks ago. _Had it really been so long? _It felt mere moments since he had stood in that room, fire and smoke surrounding them, the smell of sweat, of blood, pungent in the air, and them – only the two of them – the last to remain standing. Two pawns in a game. Well, now they were a king and queen on opposite sides of the board; it was all a matter of who could out-maneuver the other.

And Kylo didn't plan on losing the game.


	2. A Simple Arrangement

**A/N: A huge thank you to to everyone who left kudos and/or commented! I live for comments (they help the creative juices to flow :D)**

**I hope you all like this chapter! Please let me know what you think in the comments!**

_Planet Chandrila, Skywalker-Solo Estate, 18 ABY_

_ The first thing Ben Solo learned about babies is that they were loud._

_ In the two months since her birth, Anya hardly ever stopped crying. For the first few weeks his mother had stayed home, but like always she was eventually and inevitably called back to politics, and thus left Anya in the care of a wet nurse._

_Ben had thought the nurse was supposed to soothe Anya and keep her quiet. He was wrong. It was the third night in a row now that he was lying awake in his bed, unable to sleep thanks to the shrill cries coming from the adjacent room. There had been a time when Anya would quiet down after a few hours, but these past few nights her crying seemed to just be getting worse._

_Something had to be done because Ben wasn't sure he could take another day being dead exhausted. The lack of sleep was making it difficult for him to focus on his lessons and he knew that soon it would start reflecting in his grades. Making up his mind Ben got up and slipped from his room. When he opened the door to the nursery the first thing he saw was that the nurse his parents had hired to look after Anya was passed out in a chair. An empty bottle had slid out of the woman's grasp and onto the floor, remnants of some amber colored liquid evident at the bottom._

_Ben frowned, feeling a sudden wave of anger towards the irresponsible nurse. He pushed it down, instead focusing all his attention on the wailing infant in front of him. Anya was bright red from the exertion of screaming, her tiny hands balled into fists and little feet kicking out spastically._

_Ben leaned over her crib. "Anya…" he started, reaching down to rub her belly. "Please stop crying."_

_She screamed louder._

_He sighed, not knowing what to do. On pure instinct he bent over to scoop his sister up into his arms. She fussed incessantly, squirming and crying at the top of her lungs._

"_Shhhhh…" He said, attempting to soothe her by rocking her gently like he had seen his mother do numerous times. Slowly, Anya began to calm, her breaths becoming softer as she stared up at him with wide eyes._

"_That's right, good girl." Ben whispered. "Shhhh…"_

_Anya just continued to watch him in fascination and then proceeded to try and shove her entire fist in her mouth. Ben's heart just about melted. She was so cute. So precious. He tilted his head down to press a kiss to her forehead._

"_It's alright now, Anya. Go back to sleep."_

_As if on cue she yawned and turned her head to nuzzle into him, eyes fluttering closed. Her little lips moved in a suckling motion and Ben felt a twinge of guilt. He hadn't thought that she might be hungry. Hopefully the neglectful nurse had fed her before falling into a drunken stupor because he certainly couldn't help her in that regard._

_Soon, Anya's breathing became deep and even, and Ben knew she had fallen asleep. _Now for the tricky part_, he thought. _Getting her back in her crib without waking her up._ The task proved nearly impossible the moment he tried to place her down. Jerking awake, Anya started to cry once more. Quickly bringing her back to rest against his body, Ben desperately tried to keep her from getting hysterical again. _

"_Shhh…" he rocked her, gently cradling her head to rest on his shoulder. Anya made little grunting noises and settled instantly._

"_What am I going to do with you, little peanut?" He asked her. "I have to sleep. I can't stand here and hold you all night."_

_Unsurprisingly, his infant sister didn't offer any helpful advice._

_What to do indeed. He certainly couldn't bring her back to his room and risk her falling out of his bed. Eyeing her crib, an idea struck him. With great care, Ben managed to lower the rail of Anya's crib with one hand and lowered himself down to the mattress. The wood creaked and he flinched, halting his movements and sitting perfectly still, praying it wouldn't break. When it became apparent it was going to hold for the time being, he slowly situated himself so he was lying on his side with Anya still sleeping in his arms. It was a tight fit as he had to keep his legs bent under his body and his back hunched uncomfortably, but it worked._

_Anya kicked out her feet as she slept and Ben smiled, tucking his face next to her head and drawing in a deep breath. Despite the cramped environment, her presence soothed him as much as his seemed to soothe her, and in no time at all Ben felt the gentle tendrils of sleep reaching out to beckon him into the world of unconsciousness._

_The next morning, Ben awoke to his mother angrily shouting at the nurse, who was immediately dismissed. From that moment on, he and Anya were near inseparable. _

Planet Frell, Rebel Base, 35 ABY

It was a gloomy day for a funeral.

It was late autumn on Frell. The air that morning contained a bite of frost. The forest surrounding the Rebel's base was exploding with vibrant colors of orange, yellow, red, and purple ever since the leaves changed, the first hint of impending winter. The brilliance of it certainly didn't match the mood of the remaining resistance members where they stood in a small grove of fire saplings. A spring could be heard babbling somewhere close by, and the curious trilling call of one of the planet's native birds sent chills down the spines of the assembled mourners.

In the three weeks that had passed since the death of Supreme Leader Snoke and the almost total annihilation of the Rebel fleet, there had been no time to mourn for lives lost. They had gathered now for a memorial service, although there were no bodies to bury. Instead, twenty wreaths – one for each ship lost – had been laid on the center of the grove, made from the cuttings of the crimson saplings and bound with strips of white cloth which had been torn from the flags of the various ships.

The rebels all wore black arm bands.

Rey stood amid the crowd. She was still recovering from wounds sustained in the battle against Snoke's guards, and she leaned upon the arm of Finn, who remained ever loyal by her side. Chewie, who had also become a nearly constant companion, stood on her other.

For three weeks they had been running, first on the Millennium Falcon with a handful of survivors, and then with more as the scattered rebels came to join them. They arrived at Frell with half a dozen ships and nearly thirty men. That number had already doubled, but they were still hopelessly outnumbered by the First Order.

The work on Frell had been nonstop: first the base had to be secured. Years of neglect on account of being abandoned had left the place in a miserable state, and many parts were no longer structurally sound. Of course, to make the extensive repairs (and rebuild in many cases) they needed materials, and that was a resource in which they were sorely lacking.

_They were lacking in all resources, _Rey thought to herself.

Since it was necessary if they were going to have any chance at all, Leia had organized several missions to obtain the critical supplies they needed. Only small groups went out and great lengths were taken to ensure that the excursions remained under the radar of the First Order. To facilitate remaining undetected, they scavenged for parts and materials on the sparsely populated outer rim planets. In this way, Rey had overseen several of them because of her experience scavenging on Jakku. The scavenging missions hadn't been very fruitful, but they managed to obtain enough to get by for the time being. Still, their position was critical, teetering on the edge of a proverbial cliff with an explosive attached to it. And no one knew if it would fall and shatter first from instability or be blown to pieces by the First Order. Either way, most didn't believe it was going to end well.

In short, the Resistance was crippled. Of that there was no doubt, and Rey knew it would take nothing short of a miracle to pull them out of this void of hopeless despair into which they had fallen.

The spark of hope still remained in the galaxy, but it was weak and in desperate need of kindling.

After the memorial service ended, the small crowd dispersed as everyone went back to their tasks. Rey, still not knowing her place in all of it and feeling rather useless as a result, found herself wandering aimlessly around the base.

In fact, she wondered if she would ever know her place and feel like she belonged. It was something she had yearned for her entire life, but still hadn't experienced completely. _Well, except for those few times…with _him. Rey reminded herself, and then proceeded to feel the sharp pain in her chest whenever she thought of him.

Ben Solo hadn't left her thoughts since she closed the Falcon's door on Crait, cutting off their connection. A part of her regretted not trying harder to convince him to go with her when he offered her his hand in Snoke's throne room. Rey couldn't help but feel she may have jumped to conclusions about his offer, his _plea _for her to join him. Because it was a plea, she had realized afterwards, when she recalled his soft utterance of _"please" _and the way his eyes had searched hers, desperately trying to determine what she might do. _Choose me, _he had seemed to silently beg. _Please. Everyone else in my life has given up on me…turned away from me…please be different. _She couldn't imagine someone who was completely gone would go from saying _"You know I can take whatever I want" _to quietly whispering _"please". _True monsters didn't say please. He had genuinely wanted her to join him of her own volition, because if he had wanted, he could have simply compelled her with the Force…or at least tried.

But he didn't. He had given her the choice; he had placed it within her control.

_You're nothing. But not to me. _Those words haunted her thoughts during the day much like their speaker haunted her dreams at night. Rey couldn't help but take them as a confession (albeit, a less than gallant one given his first calling her nothing) that he felt for her. Perhaps even in the same way that she had begun to feel for him.

Rey had attempted to tap into their link many times those past three weeks, needing to see him, to hear the deep timbre of his voice, but to no avail.

He had shut her out.

The connection was still there, an ever-present low hum in the background of Rey's conscious mind. She was painfully aware of its incessant tugging on her heart like a tether, urging her to go to him. She had half a mind to follow it, to just leave everything behind for him, because it was with him and him alone that she truly felt like she belonged. But Rey knew it wasn't the time. For now, she needed to help the Resistance get back on its feet. That is, if someone would tell her what she could do.

"Rey?" The sound of someone calling her name jerked Rey from her thoughts. Blinking in a daze, her eyes focused on her surroundings. She was in the hospital wing, which was one of the few buildings still standing in one piece. She must have walked there on autopilot, lost in her own mind. Finally, her eyes settled upon Finn who was staring at her from his place seated beside Rose's cot.

"Yeah?" Rey murmured.

Finn frowned. "Are you okay? I was calling you for a few minutes there, but you didn't respond. It was kind of freaking me out."

Now it was her turn to frown. "Oh, sorry. I was just…lost in thought I guess."

"Did you want to talk about it?" Finn asked, nothing but concern for her in his eyes. Rey smiled. She adored him.

"Ah, no, thank you. It's really…it's not important." She cleared her throat then, and went to change the subject, _needing _to change the subject. The last thing she wanted to talk about was her conflicted feelings for the Supreme Leader of the First Order, least of all with Finn. "How is she?" Rey asked, using the Force on impulse to call another chair to her so she could sit next to him. Finn reacted the same way everyone else in the Resistance (save for Leia) reacted to her exercising the Force; a mixture of fear, uncertainty, and awe in his expression.

_Ben wouldn't react that way. _An unwelcome voice whispered in the back of her mind. Rey knew it was true. Ben would rejoice in her abilities, teach her how to harness the Force effectively. He would support her.

_Her equal._

"She's the same. Unchanging. The doctors are saying just to be happy because it could be so much worse." Finn told her and Rey started, almost forgetting that she had inquired about Rose. She had gotten swept up in thoughts of Ben once more.

"Do they know when she'll wake up?" She asked, eying the many monitors to which the young woman was currently tethered.

Finn shook his head. "It's hard to tell with these things. Their best guess is that she's in a trauma-induced coma and that she'll come out of it when her body has recovered enough. They tell me to be patient, but I-" His voice broke and he shut his eyes, dropping his head.

"I don't know what to do, Rey." Finn whispered softly, head still down. "I feel so lost, helpless to do anything."

Rey put her arm around her friend and hugged him. "She'll be okay, Finn. I've never officially met her, but I can tell she's a fighter. She won't give up."

Finn said nothing for a long while, merely leaning into her and accepting the comfort she was offering. "I was ready to die," he murmured finally and Rey looked at him in alarm as he continued. "When I was about to drive that speeder down the canon's throat, I was ready and willing to give my life for the good of the Resistance. But then she came out of nowhere, knocking my speeder out of the way, and all I could think is that she looked like an angel coming to my rescue."

Rey squeezed his shoulder. "I for one am grateful that she did. That she got you both out of there alive."

Finn reached out and gently brushed Rose's hair back, expression almost wistful. "She kissed me, you know. Right before she lost consciousness she kissed me and said, 'That's how we're going to win. Not by destroying what we hate, but by saving what we love'."

_Saving what we love. _Those words echoed inside Rey's head as her mind was once again brought back to thinking about someone she would very much like to save.

"You love her." She said simply to Finn. He turned his eyes to meet hers. "Yeah. I think-I think I really do."

Rey smiled at her friend, squeezing his hand as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Hold on to that and I have no doubt that she will come back to you. Don't give up hope." It was the same thing she had been repeating in her head like a mantra about Ben. The trouble was, Rey had an awful premonition that she truly was the only person left in the whole galaxy who believed that Ben Solo could still turn back to the light.

Rey stayed with Finn and Rose for several hours. Eventually though, she took her leave and started to wander back towards the main control room. It wasn't much and the equipment was testy at times, but they were making it work. Rey spotted Poe talking with a few officers she hadn't seen before and made her way over to him. At least she knew he would acknowledge her presence, as many of the others gave her a wide berth, refusing to even look at her.

Sure enough, when Poe noticed Rey approaching he slapped the shoulders of the men and shook hands with the women with whom he had been conversing and quickly made his way over to her.

"Hey," Poe said. Rey did not miss the change in his tone. It softened slightly, and a smile warmed his eyes as he looked at her.

"Hi." She greeted him. "Who were they?" Rey asked, jerking her chin at the group of men and women who were strangers to her.

Poe glanced over his shoulder, as if he had forgotten them. "Some of our allies; Resistance commanders from outer posts. They've come with their representative generals. Recent events have left quite a vacancy in the leadership so we need to elect a new board of leaders."

_Recent events that could have been avoided if they had answered Leia's call for aid on Crait, _Rey thought grumpily. "Nice of them to show up now." She said aloud, trying (and failing) not to sound overly bitter.

Poe picked up on her tone though and nodded in sympathy. "Yeah, I know. I'm pissed about it too. But as Leia reminded me it's not as if we are in a position to refuse help. Unfortunately, we just have to take what we can get. Besides, the more we people we have on our side, the more contacts we have for resources like food, ammo, ships, the works."

"So, we're what? Just supposed to allow them into our ranks even though they waited until it was nice and convenient for them to make good of their _alleged _allegiance?" Rey felt the darkness in her start to rear its head as her anger escalated. She quickly pushed it down.

Thankfully, Poe hadn't seemed to notice, as he had turned his head to look towards their allies. "Yes, that's exactly what we're supposed to do."

Planet Sappho, Jejune City, 35 ABY

It was the rainy season on Sappho. A near constant barrage of storms for three months straight turned the already heavily wooded planet into a tropical rainforest, complete with the insects and humidity. The streets of Jejune were empty (save for a few straggles who were braving the monsoon), which made it easy for the lone, hooded figure to slip by, dodging puddles with lithe movements.

Anya Solo hated the rain. She hated the humid warmth that made her hair stick to her neck. She hated the smell of the road when it got wet. But most of all she hated how the rain reminded her so much of home, her true home on Chandrila. Because when she thought of it, she thought of her family, of _him, _and that memory was just too painful to endure.

Attention slipping for a split second when he crossed her mind, Anya missed a step and tripped on an uneven piece of stone. Swearing softly, she barely swerved in time to miss an old man who was hobbling along in the opposite direction. "Sorry," she muttered under her breath, simultaneously pulling the hood of her cloak more securely around her after it had been jostled when she briefly lost her footing. The last thing she needed was someone recognizing her and Alba learning she had snuck out of the Academy…_again._

Anya always felt guilty doing this behind Alba's back. After all, the woman was only following orders by withholding any and all information about the events occurring in the galaxy. She didn't fault Alba in the least, and in fact admired her dedication to the task with which she had been charged a decade before when Anya was deposited into her care. However, she needed information to keep tabs on her family, and nothing would stop her from obtaining it. From the time Anya had been old enough to begin exploring Jejune on her own, she had started searching for contacts who could provide her with updates about the movements of the First Order and the Resistance. The good thing was, Jejune was a port city, rich with traveling merchants and smugglers who saw all corners of the galaxy on a daily basis and came rife with stories. The bad thing was, to find a contact who had no loyalties to Alba required that Anya go to very questionable parts of town.

It was the part of Jejune that held a large portion of the city's very profitable black market. Taking carefully measured and well-practiced steps down a dark and damp alleyway, Anya kept on high alert for thugs lurking in the shadows, just waiting to prey on an ignorant passerby who took a wrong turn. Thankfully, Anya knew exactly what she was getting herself into by coming here, which is why she always brought along her dagger and blaster, both of which she could easily hide under her cape. And both of which would give Alba a coronary if she knew about them. As she passed a particularly frightening looking character, Anya palmed her dagger and her eyes flitted upwards to glance at the raven flying circles above her. Having Onyx with her was truly a comfort as she knew the extremely loyal bird would swoop down and attack anyone at Anya's command.

Fortuitously, she reached her destination without having to gut anyone or have Onyx gauge someone's eyes. Anya stopped just outside of the house, if it could even be called that. It was more like a glorified shack or tent, complete with only one whole wall, a partial wall, half a roof, and the rest was patched up with canvas and tarps. Although, compared with the other dwellings around it, Anya supposed it actually wasn't half bad. Letting out a shrill whistle, Anya held out her arm and waited for Nyx to descend, the raven gracefully landing on her forearm a moment later. Then, she used her free hand to pull back a piece of tarp and stepped inside, out of the rain.

The interior fared little better than the outside. Stolen wares and goods littered every nook and cranny: rolls of luxurious silks, trinkets made of some precious metal, and in one corner a pile of gold and jewels sat glittering in the low light. Anya approached the tent's sole occupant, a weaselly looking man with sharp, angular features, and a shock of crimson hair.

"Well, Bat, it looks as if you had quite the successful run on Canto Bight." She said by way of greeting, gesturing to the jewels and gold.

Captain Batiatus Lore looked up, giving her an unimpeded view of the eyepatch he donned on his right eye and the scar that extended from both above and below it. The angry red line reached his hairline and the opposite end cut south, twisting the corner of his lips down, marring the rest of his face. He was a pirate in every sense of the word.

"Anya Serah," he said her name like a purr, voice silky smooth. "I was wondering when I would see your beautiful face here again."

Anya flashed him an alluring smile, not at all phased by his use of her false name. After all, as far as anyone here knew, she was the daughter of Alba Serah, headmistress of the Academy of Fellows. Alba herself was the only one who knew the truth of Anya's identity. "I'm here at the end of the month, as always. Nothing has changed." She said saucily, sauntering over to him.

Bat smirked and leaned back in his chair, watching Anya intently as she flung herself down in the seat opposite him. Onyx perched on the back of Anya's chair. "What can I do you for, Miss Serah?" Bat asked, only sparing the raven a brief glance.

Anya shot him an incredulous look. "Let's cut the bullshit, shall we? It isn't a part of our arrangement."

Bat roared with laughter. "Oh, I've missed that mouth of yours, little lady! Such a biting tongue on one so young and innocent."

Ignoring his comment, Anya pulled out the small satchel she had been carrying from under her cloak and jiggled it at him tauntingly. The coins inside clanked together, making a jingling sound that had Bat perking up immediately, gazing at the bag with hunger in his eyes.

Anya smiled. In fact, their arrangement was simple. At the end of every month when Anya got her stipend and Bat returned to Jejune Port, she would give him the money in exchange for an update on the First Order and the Resistance. "Now," she said. "Pray tell me what you've heard on your journeys?"

Bat gave her another toothy grin. "Right to business, as usual then. Well, missy, I heard while trading with a friend of mine on Takodana that the Resistance was all but destroyed by the First Order on Crait a few weeks ago."

Anya felt all the breath leave her lungs and she struggled to keep her expression neutral, an emotionless mask. "Oh. And what of its leadership, I wonder? Did General Organa escape the slaughter? Surely without her the Resistance won't last much longer."

Speaking of her mother so formally always felt strange, but it was necessary to keep up the masquerade.

"I didn't hear a list of names of the survivors," Bat conceded. "But I do know there was only a handful and that I for one, believe she is among them. I'm sure if such an important figure was dead, we would surely hear of it."

Anya prayed he was right. She was just especially concerned this time because a few weeks prior (about the same time that this altercation on Crait evidently occurred) Anya had felt a massive disturbance in the Force. It was so intense that it was tantamount to someone powerful with the Force passing away and Anya had immediately thought of her mother.

"But," Bat continued. "I did hear that the Jedi knight Luke Skywalker showed up at the battle and was killed."

Anya nodded. "I see." So that was what she must have felt. The passing of her uncle. The loss stung, but secretly she was simply grateful her mother was alright. Now there was one more person she needed to know survived, but she had to phrase her inquiry carefully.

"And what of the First Order?" She whispered, silently cursing herself for how her voice shook. This was always where it got hard for her to keep her composure. Thinking about him, talking about him.

"Stronger than ever," replied Bat. "Bastards are making it nigh bloody impossible to cut a decent profit the way they're persecuting free trade." His tone was bitter. "Personally, I blame the change in leadership."

"Change in leadership?" Anya pressed, interest piqued.

Bat stared at her in disbelief. "Amazing. You really don't know anything about what's going on."

"No," Anya said, growing highly irritated. "Which is why I pay you good money to enlighten me. Now, I suggest you do so, before I take back said payment."

He held his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. Don't get your knickers in a twist. It's just, the whole galaxy is talking about it. Kylo Ren has taken over as Supreme Leader of the First Order in the wake of Snoke's death."

_Thank the stars, _Anya thought. _He was alive. _Relief unlike anything she had ever felt swept over her. It wasn't as if Anya believed him dead, but it was nice to have the confirmation all the same. In her heart, in her very soul she knew he was okay though. She would have felt it if that wasn't the case. The world would feel different if he was truly gone...wrong. That would be one death from which Anya knew she would never recover.

"I have to say," started Bat, when Anya said nothing in response. "It still strikes me as curious as to why the daughter of a headmistress would want to know of such things."

Anya stiffened and shot him a steely glare. "I'm afraid you'll have to remain curious on that account. My business is my own and I'll not have it questioned. You don't hear me pushing you to reveal just how you obtained those valuables from Canto Bight."

Bat chuckled. "Alright, fair enough. I just thought I would ask…see if you were feeling generous and wanted to throw old Bat a bone."

Anya smiled dryly. "Not today. Sorry to disappoint."

Bat shrugged. "Well missy, I don't have anything more to offer you. Unless of course, you're interested in something more…_material." _He gestured to the goods surrounding them, a mischievous grin on his face.

She shook her head. "No, thanks. I'm afraid I'm a little short on funds."

Bat let out another boisterous laugh. "Touché."

Deciding it was time to take her leave, Anya got to her feet. "Thank you for your time and the info, Bat."

"Anytime, honey. Anytime." He replied, then added. "Are you sure you want to head back to the academy tonight? It's not safe out there."

"I made it here all right, so I think I'll manage." She assured him. "Thanks for your concern though."

"Keep your eyes open." Bat told her with a wink.

"Will do," Anya said. "I'll see you next month."

"See you, kid." He said.

Anya took a deep breath, hating the next part, but knowing it was necessary. It always was. "Oh, and Bat?" She called over her shoulder.

He looked up once more. "Yeah?"

Anya snagged his gaze with her own and held it, speaking her next words with a heavy weight attached to them, tapping into the Force. "You will not speak a word of what we talked about today to anyone. If anyone asks I was never here."

Bat's eyes glazed over and he repeated her orders in a monotone voice, completely bending to the will of the Force…to her will. "I will not speak a word of what we talked about today to anyone. If anyone asks, you were never here."

She left the memory of her being there in his mind, as she did every time so that she wouldn't have to remake their arrangement each time she went to him. However, it was imperative that he not let it slip to anyone about their meetings. It was true that no one on Sappho knew of her real identity (save for Alba), but Princess Anya Solo was not a secret to the whole galaxy. And not all who knew of her were friendly.

Anya took one last look at the rugged pirate and nodded, satisfied her orders had been received, before she took the edge of the tarp in her hands and drew it back. Calling Onyx to her, she slipped silently back into the damp night air.


	3. Perfect Storm

**A/N: Hello dear readers! So, you got to meet Anya in the last chapter! I hope you all liked her and are continuing to enjoy this fic! This chapter is a little shorter, but it contains a lot of background info that will be important moving forward (mostly establishing Anya and Ben's relationship).**

**I also want to thank everyone who favorited, followed, and commented on and/or shared this story! Your support keeps me going!**

**I hope you guys like this chapter and please please let me know what you think! I love hearing your thoughts and theories!**

_Planet Chandrila, Skywalker-Solo Estate, 19 ABY_

_Ben Solo was completely in love._

_Not romantically of course, but the love he felt for his baby sister was all consuming just the same. He would do anything for her without hesitation, no questions asked. She was the center of his universe, his entire world revolving around her._

_Anya was just under a year old now and already a little firecracker, with her head full of thick, black curls, and rosy cheeks. At her age she was just beginning to try and walk, so he stayed ever by her side to ensure she didn't hurt herself._

"_There you go, Anya. One foot in front of the other." He urged from a few feet in front of her as she toddled unsteadily towards him._

"_You're doing so well, peanut." Ben assured her, heart nearly bursting with pride._

_Anya gave him a wide grin, flashing the few baby teeth that had come in and the gummy gaps of where they had yet to make an appearance. She took another step, but this time one leg crossed in front of the other, causing her to trip and lose her balance._

_She cried out in alarm but Ben lunged forward and caught her. Anya gazed up at him, wide eyed and shaken. "I'm here," he soothed, pulling her close. "I've got you, baby. I swear I will never let you fall."_

The Academy of Fellows was situated at the heart of Jejune City. An intricate maze of cream colored marble buildings suspended in the air by the top anti-gravity technology, it was nothing short of impressive. Anya navigated her familiar route back to the dormitories with ease. To someone who didn't know, the sole way in and out of the academy was through the central gatehouse (which was, for obvious reasons, the only academy building on ground level). It was always heavily guarded, and a five foot thick stone wall that was twenty feet high extended from each side of it circling completely around the school. Hovering ten feet above the wall and spaced about one hundred feet apart, were additional guard towers. These too, were always under guard and huge patrol lights situated on top of them constantly scanned the surrounding area like floating lighthouses.

Thankfully, Anya knew a way around all of it. Or, rather, under all of it. Stepping carefully, so as to avoid being caught in the sweeping patrol lights, Anya made her way to the secret side entrance that no one knew about. The academy was centuries old and so there were secret passageways that not even Alba knew existed. The opening to this one in particular was concealed behind a thick covering of ivy, which Anya had to push aside to access the doorway.

The other thing that was inevitable on account of the passageways being so old and unmaintained, was that the ground was very treacherous and it was extremely dark. Squinting, Anya let her eyes adjust and began the slow descent. Fortuitously, she knew the way well. In the ten years she had lived at the academy, Anya had spent a great deal of that time exploring these secret halls and passageways. _It wasn't as if she had been permitted to do much else. _Her mother had seen to that. It was she who made the decision to send Anya away when she was seven years old and essentially lock her away in this...prison. Though, it hadn't been all bad, Anya had to concede. Sappho was a lovely planet and Alba had been wonderful to her all these years. Still, it wasn't home and she knew it never would be. It was impossible. He wasn't there. Feeling a sob building in her throat, Anya pushed it down. No matter how many years it had been, being separated from the most important person in her life never got any easier. There was an empty void in her heart that she knew only he could fill.

Reaching the ascending stairway that would let her out in the main courtyard, Anya carefully stepped up...and lost her footing. Slipping, she came down hard on her knee and stifled the reflexive cry of pain. Another thing about the tunnels; they echoed horribly. Looking down at her knee, Anya swore softly when she saw the fresh crimson stain of blood bubbling up through the torn fabric of her pants. The sight struck a chord within her and suddenly Anya was swept away in a memory...

_Six-year-old Anya Solo sat on the ground crying while clutching at her leg. She had fallen while trying to climb onto her father's speeder and skinned her knee on the hard ground. _

_"Anya?" Her brother's voice called out, and a moment later he emerged from behind the garage. He had been nineteen at the time, not long before he started his Jedi training. As soon as he saw her his eyes widened and he was at her side in an instant, crouching down. "Oh, baby, what happened? Are you okay?" _

_Anya's lip wobbled and fresh tears spilled over her eyes. "Benny...My-my knee." She whimpered. _

_Ben's gaze dipped down to where she was holding her hand over the wound. He reached out and covered her hands with his own, gently peeling them away. _

_"Let me see." _

_She removed her hands and he inspected the scrape, gently poking at the tender flesh. _

_"It hurts." Anya sniffled. _

_"I know, sweetheart." He replied softly, then bent down and placed a kiss to her forehead. "Let's go get it patched up." _

_Anya reached out for her brother. He leaned over and scooped her up into his arms, cradling her to him as he walked them into the house. Heading straight for the washroom, Ben carefully deposited Anya on the counter and went to work cleaning her cut knee. There was a stinging sensation when he used the antiseptic wipes and Anya whimpered. _

_"I'm sorry, baby." He said, voice full of sympathy. "Almost done."_

_When he finished, Ben reached into the cabinet and pulled out a bandage strip before gently placing it on her cut._

"_Kiss it better!" Anya demanded, nearly kicking her brother in the face when she flung her leg up in the air. He dodged it, catching her heel with his hand and bringing her knee to his lips._

"_All better?" He questioned, smiling at her._

"_All better!" Anya exclaimed happily, flinging herself at him and wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed his cheek and Ben chuckled, returning her embrace._

"_Thank you, Ben." She said into his neck._

_He turned his face towards her to press a kiss to her hair. "You're welcome, sweetheart."_

Anya was pulled back from her reverie with tears in her eyes. It had always been like that between them. There was never any question or judgement; she had needed him, and he had always been there. Not a day had gone by during her years in exile that she hadn't thought of her brother, but it had been some time since she experienced such a vivid memory.

Even though she hadn't laid eyes on him in a decade, Anya's mind had perfectly preserved his features. His face, his eyes, his voice…all of it. It was a relief, but also something she would have expected. After all, how could she forget anything about him?

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Anya swallowed back her pain and continued climbing the stairwell. When she emerged, all was quiet and still in the courtyard. The only sound was that of the almost melodic tune caused by the water in the fountains. Using the many hedges lining the courtyard as a cover, Anya slipped onto the lift that would take her to the dormitories. Thankfully she was able to reach her room without running into any of her classmates, which was to be expected considering it was after midnight. Anya still let out a breath of relief when she had shut herself safely inside. Closing her eyes, she leaned against the rich mahogany door and took a moment to calm the erratic beating of her heart, a leftover symptom of the adrenaline rush caused by her forbidden activities.

Anya's room at the academy was the same as all the others, ordinary. A perfect way to continue the act that she was just another student. The walls were painted a plain beige and were barren of any personal touches. The bed was the same, only donning cream sheets and a single pillow. Her desk was standard issue and had only the materials Anya needed for school: textbooks, pads of paper, and assorted writing utensils.

Onyx, who had been diligently following her, swooped in the open window and landed on her perch beside Anya's bed. She gave the Raven an affectionate pet before shutting and locking the window up tight.

Knowing she only had six hours to sleep before she had to get up and get ready for class, Anya changed into her nightclothes before flopping down on the bed. Unfortunately, sleep did not come easily for her. It never had. When she was little Anya had suffered from severe night terrors and it was only her brother who could soothe her. He had always chased away the nightmares, so she was able to find rest.

Much to Anya's relief, the night terrors and nightmares had become increasingly less frequent as she grew older, but most nights proved that sleep remained as elusive as ever. And since Ben was no longer around, she had to learn how to cope on her own. Letting her eye flutter closed, Anya took a deep breath and attempted to find peace. On impulse, she clutched at the bracelet on her left wrist. It was the one thing she possessed that even hinted at her true lineage. It was a simple silver chain, but the single charm on it donned the diadem that was the royal crest of Naboo. The same emblem that her grandmother, Padme Amidala had worn when she was queen.

Her mother had given her the bracelet when she was a young child and it had quickly become like a security blanket of sorts. Wearing it made her feel close to her family in a way that she hadn't for much of her life. Eyes starting to feel heavy, Anya finally slipped into unconsciousness with her fingers clutching the charm and the steady beat of rain on the window.

_The storms on Chandrila during the summer months were legendary. The normally mildly weathered planet was bombarded with monsoon-like rains and thunderstorms. Brilliant bolts of lightning streaked across the night sky, so bright that even the distant stars were temporarily invisible. Of course, with lightning came thunder and that was what four-year-old Anya Solo hated most of all. She was already awake, trembling in fear under the covers and entirely too afraid to move. The brightness that accompanied every flash of lightning illuminated her room, creating menacing looking shadows on the walls, and each rumble of thunder seemed to shake the very foundation of the house. _

_A particularly loud quake of thunder happened then and with a little shriek of terror, Anya threw off her blankets and bolted from the room. Completely blinded with fear Anya ran to the one person she knew would be there for her, since both her parents were not home as usual. _

_Her brother's room was dark, but Anya could see the faint outline of his body lying on the bed. Scurrying over to his side she desperately pushed at his arm as another bolt of lightning hit, followed by a deafening crackle of thunder. _

_His eyes flew open on a gasp and he sat up. "What-?" He broke off when his gaze settled on her. "Anya?" _

_"Ben," she sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. _

_He rubbed at his eyes and blinked a few times. "What-what's happening? Is something wrong? Are you okay, baby?"_

_Anya sniffled. "The storm." She said by way of explanation. _

_Understanding suddenly swept over his face and his eyes softened. "Oh, I see." He whispered, reaching out for her. Another clap of thunder reverberated through the room and Anya yelped again, practically jumping on top of her brother. _

_"Shhhh it's okay," he said, stroking her hair soothingly. "Come here." Ben pulled back his blankets and slid over in invitation. Anya scrambled into his bed without hesitation. In her haste she ended up kneeing her brother in the gut and elbowed him in the face. Ben grunted in pain but said nothing, knowing full well she was too frightened to realize what she was doing. _

_As it was, she finally settled practically burrowed _underneath _his body. Ben chuckled as he looked down at her, expression full of affection and mild amusement. "That can't be very comfortable." _

_Anya gazed up at him, only one eye visible because of her position. "It can't get me under here." _

"It?" _He questioned, raising an eyebrow._

_"The thunder monster."_

_Ben tried to hide a smile. "Oh, so that's your strategy. Hide under me so it gets me first, is that it? I see how it is." He tickled her side and Anya giggled, swatting playfully at him in her attempt to squirm away. _

_Just then, thunder sounded once more, shattering the playful moment. Anya let out a shrill scream and pressed her face into her brother's chest as she clung to him. _

_He stopped his teasing instantly, growing serious. "Alright, no more jokes. I'm sorry. It's okay, baby. You're alright." _

_"I'm so scared." She whimpered, her little heart beating a mile a minute. _

_"Don't be afraid, sweetheart. The thunder can't hurt you." Ben assured her. _

_"How do you know?" She sniffled, turning her head to gaze up at him with wide eyes. He smiled down at her and gently touched her cheek, the gesture full of tenderness and affection. _

_"Because it's just sound, angel. It's the sound the lightning makes." He told her. _

_"Then why doesn't it happen until after the lightning?" Anya wanted to know. _

_"Because," Ben said, scooting down so he was lying next to her. "Light is faster than sound. The sound has to catch up." _

_"Really?" Anya's eyes were full of wonder. _

_"Yes." Ben breathed, exhaustion settling on him. "So now you know...it can't hurt you." _

_"You promise?" Anya asked, reaching out with her little fingertips and tracing his face. _

_Her brother smiled at her. "Of course. And even if there was something out there that could hurt you, do you really think I would let anything happen to you?" _

_Anya shook. "No. You would protect me." _

_"Always." He whispered, leaning over to kiss her forehead. _

_Thunder crackled in the distance, and the pattering of rain intensified. The next round of storms must have been moving towards them. Anya tensed, but didn't cry out this time, trusting in what her brother told her. Ben pulled her close and snuggled her against him. _

_"Try to sleep now, baby." He whispered into her hair. _

_"Okay..." Anya murmured sleepily and in moments she had been lulled back into slumber by the steady beating of her brother's heart. _

Across the galaxy aboard the _Finalizer, _Kylo Ren's eyes flew open and he bolted upright in his bed with a gasp.


End file.
